The Tales of Tacticians and Princess
by DoublethinkAgain
Summary: This is a collection of stories of the relationship between Dante and Lucina. The story of their relationship both before and after Grima. If one thing is certain, it is that Dante loved his wife, Lucina, above all else. Fluff and SPOILERS. Avatar/Lucina.
1. Calm Before the Storm

**This is a story about the romance between the Male Avatar (Dante) and Lucina (Personally my favorite couple in Fire Emblem). This is also my first fan fiction story, so feedback, follows, favs, etc. are all appreciated to help encourage me! I don't know how much I plan to write in this story, and chances are I'll just come back to it whenever I feel inspired to. But I'd like to give this a shot, to give my interpretation of the romance between these two characters, and their life post-Grima. **

**Also, I would like to add that I was inspired to write this story after reading "Here, Then, and Now" by Sentury, and "Time Matters Not" by Gone2GroundEX. I do not plan to copy them. I just draw on inspiration from them. I definitely recommend checking both stories out as they are fantastic and well-written Avatar/Lucina stories, and if my story can be as impressive as either of their's, I would be overjoyed.**

It was the night before the final battle. The battle against Grima. Chrom's army camped out in a grassy plain nestled near the forest, quite like the one Chrom, Lissa, and Frederick had originally found Dante not so long ago. Light emanated from Chrom and Sumia's tent, where the two were keeping one another company to calm their nerves for the coming battle. Lissa and Gaius were up to mischief in the food storage tent, where plenty of sugary foods awaited their sweet teeth. Frederick and Cordelia patrolled the camp making the final preparations, making sure everything was in perfect order and ready for a fight. And everyone else was either sleeping or huddled in the dining tent, celebrating with each other for what might be their last night together as the whole group. Everyone, except for one young woman with stunning blue hair and a peculiar eye with the mark of the exalt. Lucina, the wife of the army's brilliant tactician, Dante.

Dante was seated in the dining tent with his friends and fellow Shepherds. He looked around the tent at everyone who was present. Owain was going on and on about some glorious story in his future where he had once attempted to confront the fearsome Grima with his "swordhand". Vaike was loudly rambling on about fun memories of the good times the group had thus far. His wife, Miriel, was observing everyone's reactions to his stories, and recording them for Naga-knows-what-experiment she had concocted. Kellam was in the corner, laughing at the stories to no one's notice. Dante laughed, enjoying the company of the friends he'd so become so close to, they were essentially family now. However, he noticed that some people were missing. One person in particular, who's company he wanted now more than anyone else's on his last night here.

"And so, courageously, I unsheathed the mighty Shadow Sword of Time and held it in the face of the dragon!" Owain exaggerated as he told his story. "And the beast roared a mighty roar that deafened my ears! But fear not, for at that moment—"

Everyone laughed hysterically. Owain believed so literally in his exaggerated fantasies, that he actually told them quite well. Even if his stories were taken with a grain of salt. Dante figured that his friends were busy enough listening to stories, that his absence would surely be nothing. So he took advantage of the opportunity and left the tent.

He wandered around outside the tent looking for where his wife might be. Chrom's tent let off light, but he only heard the voices of Chrom and Sumia laughing together as they enjoyed a rhubarb pie. Every other tent seemed to be either empty, or filled with sleeping figures. He checked his tent, as Lucina may have been waiting for him there, but found no disturbances to it since he'd left. He checked their precious daughter Morgan's room, as she might have wanted to be with their daughter on the last night, but found it empty as well, remembering Morgan was still laughing along to Owain's stories and wouldn't be with her mother.

Dante started to worry. Tonight would be his last night in existence, he figured. He wanted to be with his wife. The woman he'd fallen for the moment he met her. The woman who made him happier than anything in the world. The woman he was doing this for. Then he realized something.

There was only one place Lucina could be.

* * *

Lucina sat against the trunk of an old tree, her arms around her knees as she stared at the night sky. The stars were shining gorgeously in the night sky. The water in a river not too far away from her made gentle trickling sounds as it flowed onwards, towards its eventual destination of the sea. She was lost in thought, unsure what emotion she was feeling.

"Tomorrow's the day I suppose. We fight Grima tomorrow, and save all of Ylisse. My dreaded future will be prevented, and all should be well. Why is it that I feel sad then? Like I'm about to lose something important to my heart…" She mumbled to herself as she stared forward.

A rustling sound could be heard behind her as someone approached through the grass.

"Hey love. Aren't you feeling lonely all on your own there?" a familiar voice chimed.

Lucina smiled to herself, and her heart skipped a beat. Without turning around to see who it was, she felt an arm wrap around her waist and someone sit down close beside her. She turned and looked into the eyes of the man she loved, breathed a sigh of relief and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I was until now. What brings you here so suddenly?" she calmly asked.

Dante gently kissed her forehead before answering her.

"I was tired of listening to Owain's outrageous stories. As fun as they might be, one can only hear so much before they can't take it anymore," Dante chuckled.

"Haha, I know the feeling. I've dealt with him for far longer than any of you have. But that still leaves me with another question. How did you find me here?"

Dante was prepared as always. "You think I can be a master tactician and husband and not search all the areas nearby our camp?" he laughed. "I made sure to check the entire area when we settled, to check for hidden enemies, and to familiarize myself with the terrain. And I noticed this quaint little spot here. You don't honestly think I would forget to check the only nearby spot that so closely resembles the spot I proposed to you do you?"

Lucina reached for her husband's free hand and held it tightly in her own.

"I give you credit. You always come prepared for every situation."

Dante looked out to the stars in the distance. "Now it's my turn to ask you questions," he laughed lightly. "Why are you so far from camp, when tonight could be the last night the Shepherds will all be together. Tomorrow we have a dangerous feat to achieve. Might as well make the most of our remaining time right?"

At this statement, Lucina slowly lifted her head off her partner's shoulder, and turned to face him. "Dante I—well I just needed to get away from all the excitement and ponder these last moments."

"Is something wrong Lucina? You know I just want you to be happy, and I'm here for you."

Lucina smiled at this. "There's been a lot that's happened lately hasn't there? The war with Valm, the encounter with Validar," she started. "Grima."

Lucina paused. "But, my love, there's been a lot of good that's happened too. I found you. The Shepherds have accepted me as one of their own. We got married…" she started to laugh, "we found out about Morgan haha!"

Dante laughed at this too. That was an interesting encounter. It definitely had ended up being one of the happiest moments in his life, but explaining that to Chrom was...unexpected indeed.

"There have been quite a few things that have happened recently. It's a lot to absorb. But you still haven't answered my question love. Whatever is the matter?"

A pause.

"Dante…tomorrow—what do you plan to do? My father is leaving the decision up to you, but…are you going to come back from this or not?"

This was a hard question. Dante knew it would come up too. To stop Grima meant there were only two options present. Plan 1 would have the Shepherds fight back Grima's minions, while a team of Chrom, Dante, Sumia, and Lucina would charge forth to face Grima. With enough luck, they could distract Grima long enough so Chrom could deliver the killing blow with the Exalted Falchion. Grima would be destroyed, and would die, and Ylisse would have peace for centuries. But Grima wouldn't be permanently killed. He would return.

That was where the second plan came. Plan 2 meant the same thing, except Dante would charge ahead and attack Grima himself. Even if it meant using a Wind tome to hold his friends back, he would have to sacrifice himself to kill Grima. In this plan, Grima would be defeated permanently, and would never wreak havoc again. But it also meant that Dante, who shared the same heart as Grima, would perish with the fell dragon. Or so Naga had said. She had also told them that with the hearts of all the friends he had made, there was the smallest sliver of a chance that Dante would somehow survive to outlive Grima. But it was the smallest likelihood out there, and Dante couldn't consider it. But even if he didn't live, Dante knew which one would assure his love, Lucina, and their beloved daughter, Morgan, a future worth living.

"Lucina…I—you must know something first."

"What Dante?" Lucina sounded choked up, as she could already guess the answer. But she gazed into Dante's eyes. Dante caught her gaze and met her blue eyes, momentarily distracted by her beauty, and her unique eye that held the Mark of the Exalt.

"I haven't lived a long life. My first memory was of waking up to your father, Chrom, and Aunt Lissa helping me up in a field in Ylisse. I've spent only a few years with them. I've spent even less time here with you. But in all that time, I've married the woman I could've only dreamed of. I've had a child with you in a future far away, and through our time together we've grown as a family. I've shared many nights holding you close to me as we gazed at each other 'til sleep overcame us. All of these memories have given me a life worth more than any number of years and experiences even a manakete could have. Lucina, you've given me a life I cherish more than most things. And I love you Lucina…so much for this precious gift you've given to me."

Lucina's eyes watered from the happy memories, and sweetness of her husband. She hugged him tight and closed her eyes tight, enjoying the physical presence of him here.

"But…?" she responded after a pause.

"But, that life you've given me is only the second most cherished thing I have. I would give that away, if you and Morgan, the two most important things in my time, could live a peaceful, happy life. One not plagued by a future you have once known. If I don't kill Grima, he will one day return, and though you and Morgan, and Chrom, and the Shepherds may never have to deal with that yourselves, our children's children and beyond might have to deal with Grima's return. I could never live knowing that future lies somewhere beyond. That is why tomorrow, I give you and Morgan my last gift. I give you two my life, so that the world will be free of evil and you may live happily ever after."

At this, Lucina broke down crying into Dante's shoulder. "I…understand my love. I—I…"

There was a pause for a few minutes as Dante held Lucina close in his arms to protect her in these last few moments.

"Dante. I understand that you have to do this. But you have to understand that I can't just let you do this without some sort of dispute."

Dante chuckled lightly, though inside his heart wrenched. "Go on Lucina."

"Do you remember when I tried to kill you? You told me to promise you I'd never be alone. That you want me to be happy. I could've killed you that day…and inside I would have died. I realized that even if killing you meant saving my beloved father...that wouldn't be a future worth living. Not without you. Dante, I need you in my life. I love you. If you go, I'll be alone. You make me happy. I—I…don't know if I could live in a world where you are gone. Please don't do this!" She tackled him to the ground and buried herself in his chest to assure herself he was there.

"Lucina, I understand. But I would never forgive myself if I live knowing I could've done more to give you have a safe world to live in. I'm going to sacrifice myself to Grima no matter what tomorrow. I will save you. I promise. Just promise me you will find a way to move on. To live a happy life. To raise Morgan to be a mature grown woman. She takes after you and your beauty you know. Make sure she finds happiness too."

They rested there in each other's arms as the moon slowly moved across the sky. Even with Grima's return, there was still beauty in the world.

She looked up at Dante and kissed him before finally answering.

"I will do one thing and one thing only. I will wait for you. I don't care how long it will take. I don't care if I have to busy myself with other tasks in the meantime. I will certainly raise Morgan, but her and I both will wait for you."

Dante was taken aback.

"Lucina, no—"

"Dante listen to me! I don't care if I must wait years. This is my decision to make, just as killing Grima is yours. I will wait with Morgan, raise her, find us a place after Grima is gone. But know one thing. I love you. I will not move on and find a new family. You are the only man I want or need. And like Naga said, if enough hearts have been moved, you have a chance…I will take it. Because I cannot give up hope on you, when you are giving us a world filled with so much hope. I...I challenge your fate! I will wait for your return, I promise."

The two lovers then rested together, Lucina lying in Dante's lap as they stared at the stars. The battle tomorrow would be vicious, but together, they savored their last moments together before it might all end.

"Thank you Lucina. I love you." Dante whispered into Lucina's ear. And with that he kissed her.

**I'm sorry for all the fluff, but this story will be filled with it, fair warning. More will continue after this. This first part was really long, but I just wanted to really establish the relationship, and the prelude to the post-Grima relationship. Thank you all for reading, and any feedback is appreciated!**


	2. Goodnight Morgan

**And here is Chapter 2! Remember, this story is filled with fluff, and if that's not your thing, I understand, but still apologize. It is what I meant this story to be. Thanks for the support so far everyone! Reviews, Favorites, Follows, they all help encourage more to come. I'll try to continue writing this as long as people like, or to the point where I feel the story should end. Please enjoy!**

* * *

First he heard voices.

"Chrom…we have to do something…" a female voice called.

"What do you propose we do?" replied a familiar, masculine voice.

"Eh—I don't know!"

He opened his eyes to see two familiar figures. They turned to him and gasped with delight.

"Hey there!" the blonde female smiled.

"There are better places to take a nap than on the ground you know" the blue-haired male laughed. "Gimme your hand." He reached out with a gloved hand.

The man on the ground reached out with a plain, pale hand, and grasped the blue-haired man's hand. He helped pull him up, and then looked him in the eyes with a smile.

"Welcome back." Chrom said simply. "It's over now."

Chrom, Lissa, and Frederick hugged their close friend and fellow Shepherd, Dante. It had been awhile, and surely had taken lots of effort searching, but, as they promised, they found him.

"I missed you guys. I—I can't believe I came back…the odds were so against me—I was prepared for the absolute worst! This changes everything—this…thank you all." Dante said to his friends, and closed his eyes to hold back joyful tears.

Chrom spoke next. "Dante, you're one of us, like I told you. No destiny can change that. We never gave up on you."

"Yeah, we've been searching for you for months! You sure are tricky to find mister!" Lissa jokingly complained.

"Milord came up with the idea actually Dante. He thought it wise to search where we'd found you once long ago. Had a feeling you'd show up sometime or another here," said Frederick the Wary.

Dante let go of his friends and struggle to stand on his own. He felt weaker, like he'd run out of energy. But he managed to stay balanced, and then brushed some dirt off of his tactician robes.

"I commend you Chrom. It was a smart idea to say the least. But wait a second...Lissa, you said months? How long have I been gone?"

Lissa looked down uneasily. "Well Dante…we searched everywhere in Ylisse. We travelled to every village, searched every field and forest. We even went to Ragna Ferox and searched with Flavia and Basilio."

"Dante, we even searched this very spot multiple times before. We've been all over looking for you. We sent out search parties every day to different places. Pegasus knight scouts, everything. We figured if we couldn't find you immediately, maybe you'd show up later. After all your body was never found after the battle, you just disappeared." Chrom esplained.

Frederick finally answered Dante's question. "Milord, you've been gone for just over a year now."

Dante stood dumbfounded, and nearly fell over. He tried to wrap his head around all of this. _Over a year_? They'd searched this very spot before? Where had he been? How had he eaten? How did he return? But these questions where only in the back of his mind. The one he really wanted to know—How and where was Lucina?

"A year…that's impossible…I should be dead…so many questions...but—this all matters not. You have all of my thanks, sincerely. But there's something I need to know before anything else matters. Chrom? What of Lucina?" Dante demanded.

Chrom smiled, and clasped his friend on the shoulder.

"She's alright Dante, I promise you. She's back at the castle, helping take care of the kingdom and the Shepherds. You should be very proud of her, as am I—as soon as the battle ended, she took charge and started restoring Ylisse to its glory. She helps the townspeople, takes care of the Shepherd's equipment, makes dinner for us sometimes, and still has time to spend time with her family and take care of Morgan. Lucina's an impressive woman Dante, and you should know you are one lucky man. Even in all of the stress she must handle, she has never once doubted your return," Chrom explained, looking seriously into Dante's eyes like he was giving off a message.

Dante knew what Chrom was saying. He was telling Dante that Lucina loved him more than anything in the world, and that she'd never given up on him. That Chrom knew she'd found her special someone, and that he was trusting Dante to take care of her. And that she'd waited long enough without him at her side.

"I know Chrom. Thank you. If that's the case, we certainly shouldn't let her wait any longer. When can we return?"

"Milord, Ylisstol is but a few days ride from here. Should we make haste, we could arrive even sooner." Frederick answered.

"Well, you heard our great knight," Chrom declared. "It's time you came home Dante."

"After all, the princess is waiting for you—hee hee!" Lissa giggled.

The great tactician shot her a look, but laughed with her. _Home_. Wherever Lucina was, he was ready to reunite with his beloved.

* * *

It was very late at night at the castle, and most of the residents inside were asleep. Slowly the lights from each room went out as one by one more people decided to rest for the night. But from one room, the torch that had died was relit. A girl dressed in a robe left the room and scurried into the hallway.

Lucina was just returning to her room. It had been a long day. She'd practiced swordplay with a few of the Shepherds, signed a few reports about the state of the kingdom and its army, and even had time to help out a couple villagers, who's food cart had spilled and left a mess in the streets. Being the princess meant that when Chrom and Aunt Lissa were gone, she was left in charge. But she didn't mind in the slightest. She wanted to be busy, and she wanted to make sure she was always helping someone somewhere with some sort of task. It was this do-good attitude that made her a favorite to the Ylisseans, and helped her quickly gain fame in Ylisstol as a woman of the people.

There were many reasons she was always so helpful. For one, she'd come from a future where there was only desolation and despair, and she needed to be the one to take charge and help the people. Not to mention, she'd always been good at getting a job done, and quickly at that. And after two wars, and Grima, Ylisse was in a state where it needed to recover, and Lucina wanted little more than to help her father better the kingdom. After all, it gave her plenty of bonding time with him in the process, being the princess she was often at important meetings and was always helping her father. But her biggest reason for being so helpful was that it helped keep her mind at bay. If she didn't busy herself all the time, she would dwell on the absence of Dante.

It was hard. She had promised him she'd wait, and she would stay true to her word, especially to him. But there was still the doubt in the back of her mind that he had even survived. It had been over a year. After sending out all the search parties, and even leading a number of them herself, they'd searched practically everywhere, and multiple times at that. And he hadn't shown up. She wouldn't give up hope, but doubt constantly plagued her mind, causing many restless and tearful nights. However, it also strengthened her resolve, to make sure she wouldn't give in to doubt. After all, the one dearest to her had given his life to save her and everyone else, and the least she could do was have faith. That was why she constantly busied herself, so she wouldn't give up, just like Dante didn't. And so the search parties continued. Chrom, Lissa, and Frederick had just left to go on a search a few days ago. They wanted to go as the original gang for old times sake, and left Lucina in charge of the kingdom with Queen Sumia.

It had been a long day, and Lucina was worn out, so she headed back to her room to get some rest. She opened the door to her room, collapsed into her bed, and closed her eyes. She didn't even bother changing into sleeping clothes, she was so exhausted. She was just about to fall asleep when suddenly…

"Hello mother!"

Lucina jumped up from her bed and spun around. There, sitting on the other end of her bed, was her precious daughter Morgan.

"Great Naga Morgan, you nearly gave me a heart-attack! What are you doing awake at this hour in the evening dear?"

Morgan looked down ashamedly. "Sorry mother…I didn't mean to scare you. It's just I was having trouble sleeping and wanted to see you."

Lucina's heartrate slowed down and she relaxed her breathing. She smiled sweetly at her daughter and sat down next to her to give her a hug.

"It's alright Morgan dear. Just make sure to warn me before I start falling asleep next time. Anyways, whatever is the matter? Do you know what might be troubling you?" Lucina asked her daughter.

"Well mother, I was just thinking about father. It's been so long since we last saw him, and I just miss having him around…"

Feeling sympathy for her, Lucina kissed Morgan on the forehead. "I know sweetie. It has been a long time. Not a day goes by that I don't feel his absence in my heart. But I know he'll come back for us. He never gave up on us, just like we won't on him." She smiled encouragingly.

Morgan smiled back at her mother. "Oh I know mother! I'm not worried about that. Dad is just smart like that. He knows his way out of trouble, and not even Grima could've stopped him. I just wish it hadn't been so long since we'd last seen him."

"Well, I cannot argue with that. He'll turn up soon Morgan, one day he will return. In the meantime, is there anything I can do to help you sleep? Perhaps Miriel could put together a sleeping draught to help you rest easier, or—"

"Haha, mother I don't need magic or herbs to put me to sleep. I just want to be with you for now. I've got an idea! Why don't you tell me a bedtime story?" Morgan exclaimed excitedly.

"A…bedtime story? Morgan, you are a young woman, fairly close to my age in this timeline…aren't you a little old for a bedtime story?"

Her daughter's smile fell. "Well…I know…but I remembered when I was younger, you or father would tuck me in for bed and tell me a bedtime story. It helped me rest easier."

Lucina was momentarily shocked. "Wait, you remember that?! I thought you were having trouble remembering our past?"

"Nope! Mother, it has been more than a year since you all found me again. My memory has been coming back slowly—at least bits and pieces of it. But please mother? Pleeeeaaase?" Morgan begged.

Lucina smiled and chuckled to herself. "Well, I suppose I myself didn't truly get to raise you from childhood, since you came from a different timeline. Fine, I will tell you a story dear. What would you like to hear?"

"Well, it has to be something fun and with heroes and heroines! Ummm…Oooh! Tell me the story of father!"

"But Morgan, you know that story already. And it's a long story as you very well know…"

"Yeah, but I miss father. And besides, mother, telling a heroic story about father might be helpful! It's important to remember him as a hero to us, so that his memory doesn't die before he returns, and so we honor him in telling his tale." Morgan explained to her mother.

Lucina admitted, it wasn't a bad idea. It might make her miss her husband more, remembering his heroic deeds, but at the same time, it was important to keep him alive with them somehow.

"Alright Morgan. But I won't tell you the whole story. You get a chapter. That way we can save more for later. It'll give us a chance to spend more time together as mother and daughter I suppose as well."

Morgan smiled. "Thank you mother! You're the best! Can I hear one of father's heroic moments tonight? I want to hear of his bravery and sacrifice."

Well, there was certainly no better story than his heroic sacrifice at the end. It was certainly the memory most fresh in her mind at the moment…Lucina decided to tell her the story of the battle against Grima, and Dante's sacrifice to save the world. And so Lucina began:

"_Well, as you remember, Naga transported the Shepherds onto the back of the fell dragon Grima. Your father, Dante, was to lead us in this battle, while Chrom, Sumia, and I would join him. The remainder of the Shepherds stayed behind to hold back the never-ending waves of Risen that were attacking. But before the battle had even begun, Grima attacked the Shepherds."_

"_Everyone was weakened, as if Grima had already fought us for hours until all of us had no strength left to fight. And in that moment of weakness, Grima briefly stole your father from us. Dante vanished from the battle. Grima absorbed him into his mind, where he attempted to twist Dante's heart to darkness, which would complete the original fate of the Shepherds, where Dante would become Grima, and leave us without our master tactician. Without Dante, the Shepherds wouldn't have the cunning strategy of a leader, other than Chrom, to defeat Grima. We would fight to our last breaths, and destiny would be fulfilled, where the fell dragon would be assured victory."_

"_Dante grew weak. Grima had infiltrated his mind, and without us there to help him, he started to lose himself. However, in his moment of desperation, your grandfather, Chrom, called out to Dante. 'Fight back, Dante! You swore to do so, remember? Now keep your damn word!' Even though Dante had all but given up hope, Chrom's voice had infiltrated the blackness of Grima's heart. One by one, all of the Shepherds each called out to Dante, giving him the strength of our hearts so he could fight the darkness of Grima's heart. And finally, Dante had strength. He found Grima out of his mind, and he returned to us on the battlefield."_

"_In this moment, Naga gave us one last blessing, and gave us the strength and stamina to recover from Grima's first attack. With our tactician to guide us, and our strength to carry out his orders, the battle began. We fought through hordes of Risen, which just kept coming. Grima's darkness continually brought new forces every time one of the Shepherds cut through one of them. Dante realized this, and arranged a plan. He told everyone to distract the Risen, moving away from Grima himself, so that Dante, Chrom, Sumia, and I could attack Grima directly ourselves. Of course, though, Grima had his own Risen guards protecting him. But Risen are mindless, and so we cut through them with ease. But then the fell dragon himself, in the body of Dante from a time in the future where Grima had one, attacked us. He was strong and resilient, and resisted many of our attacks, but finally, he started to show signs of weakness. We all charged forth, all four of us, but this was where your father stopped us. Before any of us could strike Grima for the final blow, your father used a Wind tome. He sent Chrom, Sumia and I flying back, not painfully, but with enough force to stop us. He then drew his sword and charged forward, stabbing his parallel self in Grima's heart. Grima demanded to know what Dante was doing. Dante responded." _

" '_For once, I'm glad you and I are the same. Now I can give my life to protect those I care for…It's only right we meet our end together!' And with that, your father shot forth one last spell, destroying Grima."_

Lucina broke down to tears at this part, and tried to wipe them away to hide them from her daughter. But she didn't notice that Morgan was also tearing up.

"Mother…I know you're sad. This is the most tragic part of the story…you can stop if you want to…" Morgan said slowly through tears.

Lucina managed to get ahold of herself. "No—No…I can finish the story. I'm not yet done with it yet. I promised you I'd tell you a story, and I'll finish the story for you."

"_We all shouted for Dante. Some of us cried. Some of us just froze in shock. Most of us didn't know what to think. Dante, fading fast, turned around and looked to us. The last few things he said were 'Thank you, Chrom. For…everything…Tell the others…my last thoughts were of them…May we meet again, in a better life.' He then turned to me, Morgan, as I was the closest one to him, and he whispered his last words to me. 'Lucina…thank you…for everything. Tell Morgan I love her…I love you both very much. May I…one day…get to see you both again.' "_

"And that's the story. Your father sacrificed everything he had to stop Grima. He saved the world. He saved the Shepherds. He saved you and I Morgan. He…He did this all for us. And then he vanished. But…your father will return one day dear. I…know he will. And we promised we would wait for him. Because he's your father, and he's the only man I will ever love. And when he returns, the land will celebrate him as the hero of Ylisse. And our family will be complete again. He will come back Morgan, I swear it." Lucina finished, wiping away her last tear.

Morgan hugged her mother tightly, letting her know she loved her. "Thank you mother. It really was a good story. I know it's sad, but it's like you said, he will come back. We just need to have faith. I miss him, but I'm not worried! Father always knows what to do."

"Yeah…he does Morgan," Lucina smiled. "Alright, but you had your story, it's time for you to go to sleep young lady. I promise you, I'll tell another, happier story about your father next time."

"Alright mother, fine. Goodnight. And thank you for the story again." Morgan bade her goodnight.

"Goodnight Morgan. Do get some sleep dear. I'll see you in the morning." Lucina kissed her daughter on the forehead, just before sending her out.

It had been an eventful day. With a very busy, tiring day, and now that bedtime story about Dante, it was time that Lucina got some sleep. She finally decided to change into her sleeping gown, then blew out the torch and laid down in her bed. Within seconds, she was sleeping.

And for the first time in awhile, even after the tragic story, Lucina slept peacefully.

* * *

The caste was completely dark from the outside, and not a single window gave off any light. Everyone within the castle, aside from the guards patrolling the halls, was sleeping soundly. The main doors opened to a band of four soldiers. The tallest one, Frederick, carried a torch in his hand as he led the other three inside through the main hall.

"So you're sure she's alright Chrom?" Dante demanded.

"Dante, I promise you, Lucina is absolutely ok. She'll be very excited to see you, so you have no reason to worry." Chrom assured his closest friend.

"Dante, she's been waiting for over a year just for you. Nothing could make her happier than to see that you're here." Lissa backed Chrom up.

Dante sighed. He still couldn't settle his mind. What if she had gotten over him, thinking he really was dead? What if she moved on? What if she just forgot and started to harbor feelings for another of the Shepherds? His mind was swirling with illogical thoughts, but he couldn't help himself. He just wanted to see his wife as soon as possible.

"Milord," Frederick interrupted them. "Everyone in the castle must be asleep. Shall we wait til morning before we send Dante to his room? We wouldn't want to wake the princess up so late at night, especially when she is so busy throughout the day. Royalty need their rest just like everyone else."

"You have a point Frederick. Nobody likes to be woken up either. Very well, I suppose we'll need to determine sleeping arrangements for our friend Dante here." Chrom sighed.

"Anything's better than that grassy field. I would know, I've slept there a couple times now when you guys found me!" Dante chuckled.

From across the hall, behind one of the corners, a woman was listening in. It sounded to her like Chrom, Lissa, and Frederick had returned from their search. But there was someone else with them? Was it just a castle hand, or did they succeed in their mission? She listened closer, and heard the newcomer's voice. He was definitely close with Chrom and the group by the way he talked to them. And that voice…she hadn't heard it for awhile, but at the same time, she knew it better than any other voice. Could it be? It was.

"Dante?!" the woman's voice called.

They stopped and turned. And out from behind the wall stepped out a young lady. She had brilliant blue-hair, pale-skin, and a beautiful figure. She was wearing a blue nightgown. And suddenly, she leaped into Dante's arms.

"Lucina! Oh my sweet Lucina!" Dante cried out, catching her in his arms and spinning her around in the air.

"Dante! You finally came back! I…missed you so much!" Tears poured down Lucina's face as she was reunited with her husband.

"I missed you too Lucina. And we have a world of news to catch up on. But right now, I don't care, because all that matters is we are together once again. I'm right her my love."

And with a passionate kiss, Dante and Lucina were reunited as one again.

* * *

**Sorry if the ending scene seemed a little short compared to the rest of the chapter. I didn't want it to be TOO long, which it was already bordering on being. But I meant this chapter to be less about Dante and Lucina reuniting and catching up, and more so on the buildup to their reunion. And so I meant for the reunion scene to be quick and short, ending just on the fact that they are back together. So look forward to them actually being together and doing stuff together in the coming chapters.**

**I've noticed some comments about how Lucina wasn't angry at Dante for sacrificing himself in this story. To answer that, she was actually angry with Dante, for leaving her alone. But at the same time, she knew that he was doing what he felt was best for the world. Personally, I've never really seen Lucina to be a woman with a temper. She comes from a dark and depressing future and just wants to be happy, and do everything she can to help out (that's just who she is by nature, she wants to do the right thing). And I feel like she understood what Dante did. That's why, even though she was angry at Dante, she loved him enough and understood him so that when he returned, she didn't want to be angry at him, she just wanted to be with him again. It sorta follows how she isn't really angry at Chrom in the game when he realizes she's his daughter, and she just wants to be with her father again. I tried to make the ending of this chapter mimic that in a way.**

**I'll try to get around to Chapter 3 soon, so look forward to that, and leave reviews below if you'd like! I appreciate all the support!**


	3. You Have My Blessing

**Chapter 3. First off, I am so sorry to everyone who enjoys this fic so far. I have been busy, been interested in other things, on top of writer's block (well, less of a block and more of a "I don't really feel like writing the next one just yet…") and so I apologize. I will make more of an effort to continue this, though I recommend just enjoying it as it comes rather than expecting something like a weekly or daily update. Just to avoid future disappointment.**

**For this one I wanted to do something different. I'm not just going to write a straightforward chronological story, although I will likely follow a general order of things. I want it to be more of a collection of what has happened to Robin/Lucina and friends. So without further ado, enjoy.**

* * *

Dante and Lucina sat by the beach next to one another, watching the others play in the water. Chrom and Sumia weren't too far from them, relaxing under the sunlight. Morgan was occupied with a splash war with Cynthia, while Owain was making ready to surprise attack both of them. Meanwhile Lissa giggled while Gaius observed with his usual blank expression.

Owain slowly crawled under the water and finally burst forth shouting, "Behold! The mighty power of my sword hand, now coupled with the sea god's watery might. With these I shall—hey! Not fair!" Morgan and Cynthia took advantage of his usual heroic speech and teamed up to take him down.

Lucina laughed as she watched her daughter and sister (oddly enough around the same age when they arrived in this timeline) play with her eccentric cousin. It was peaceful. With Grima gone, she could finally put aside saving the world, and connect with her family. The best part of it all was that Dante had returned, and could be there to share every moment with her. She was happy.

She looked over at her husband to see how he was enjoying the moment, when she caught him staring at her.

"Dante? Hey, w-why are you staring at me like that?! Quite it, my mother and father are watching!" she exclaimed and playfully pushed him.

Dante fell over and shook his head back to normal thoughts. Now that everything was over, he'd been enjoying family time too, and wanted to make every moment with Lucina and Morgan count. Before it has all ended, the most amount of time they all had was in training, talking in tents, battle, and meals. An occasional stop in a town or two would count as a vacation. So when Chrom proposed the idea of a family outing at the beach, he expected something more akin to a simple picnic, playing in the sand, or just talking and reminiscing. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect to see Lucina so…ungarbed? He struggled to find a word for how she looked in her bathing suit. After all, he rarely saw her outside of her armor, aside from the nights they spent together.

"I'm sorry it's just…wow…you look amazing. It's a bit new to me is all." He apologized and continued staring, eliciting a giggle from his wife at the compliment.

Chrom turned his gaze towards the pair. He should have seen this coming he realized, but planning wasn't his strong suit, he left that task to Dante.

"Dante, I may have given you my blessing to be with my daughter, but for Naga's sake please don't stare at her so yearningly…it unsettles me."

The tactician immediately turned his gaze away and blushed embarrassed. The three in the water chuckled at the entire exchange. Morgan approached her father.

"Father, you know you never told me the story about grandp—I-I mean Chrom giving you and mother giving you his blessing," she corrected, turning her father's friend's glare into an approving grin. "What did he even think of the two of you being together at first?"

Chrom turned away and closed his eyes. It wasn't one of his favorite stories to hear, and not one he would ever tell. He'd given Dante his blessing after he was 100% certain he was right for his daughter, but the events preceding that never quite settled with him.

Dante smiled helplessly, knowing full well Chrom's feelings of this story, but also knowing that he wouldn't be able to turn down a story from Morgan. For an innocent young woman, she still had devious tricks and pranks to get her way. "Fine, Morgan. Well you see…" he began.

* * *

The Ylisseans were headed towards Valm, ready to fight a war before a worse one could be started. The Plegians had been very kind to provide so many ships to the cause, especially after the recent events from two years ago. Now with a strong navy, and a stronger army, so long as Chrom's army could make their way to the shores of Valm, victory would be theirs.

The stars were shining brightly on the ocean, and the waves reflected the light in such a way that the surface of the sea seemed to glow. Dante and Lucina stood at the edge of the lead ship, taking in the view together.

"Dante…I've never seen something so beautiful. In my future we never would have seen such calm, and gorgeous waves as this. The oceans are all filled with the blood of men, or dried up completely by Grima's might…sorry. I shouldn't talk of such things in a moment such as this…"

Dante picked up her hand and gave a gentle squeeze. "Lucina," he said turning to look into her eyes, "I really don't mind when you talk to me about your future. For one, I'm thankful for the knowledge you've given me about what happens, so I can plan to prevent events from transpiring. And also, I'm just glad to be someone you can talk to about those things. I know you probably tell your mother and father some of the stories, but I've also overheard some of your conversations with them. You might mention certain things but you leave out a lot of the details you've told me. Why do you tell me but not them?"

Lucina looked down and stared at the water lapping at the sides. Compared to out in the distance, the water closest to the boat seemed so much darker at night.

"It's because…I don't want them to know. I want them to know what to avoid and I will do everything in my power to keep them alive. But I cannot let them hear about the things in the future. I'm always so scared Dante—So terrified and sad at every moment, because I can never forget what has happened. If I ever let any of that terror and grief carry over to them, it would…well I guess this is silly of me to say but—it would ruin the perfect picture I have of our family. I couldn't taint that picture with sorrow. And none of the others are as close to me. Aside from my mother and father, you're probably the one I'm closest to…" Lucina squeezed Dante's hand tightly and blushed.

There was silence between the two, and they stared out at the sea again, the darkness of the night hiding the redness of Lucina's cheeks.

"You know Robin thank you. For taking me here and for talking with me. I really do appreciate having you with me. But alas, I think I will—mmmmm! Mmmmm…Huh?" Lucina jumped in surprise as she felt Dante's lips on hers, and finally she resigned himself to him and held him close as she pressed her lips back on his. She couldn't help but think how soft they felt. She let out a small moan of disappointment when they left. The young princess looked up at him and saw him smile at her nervously.

"Ummmmm…hehe…sorry, I really shouldn't have done that. You were just talking, and I felt something come over me for a second. I apologize Lucina. I really should go now—huh? Mmmmmmm…" he resigned himself for just a moment as Lucina kissed him back.

The two stopped and looked out into the waves again, blushes on both of their faces.

"Dante, I…I really am thankful for having you. I hope you know that." Lucina assured him as she placed her hand on his.

"I am thankful for you too Lucina. I hope you always know I'll be here for you." Dante smiled affectionately at her.

As the two said their goodbyes, Chrom watched in the distance. He had seen the entire exchange. He was both infuriated and confused. He would have a talking with Dante about this.

* * *

_Later that night…_

Dante was alone in his room, sitting at his desk on the ship, playing what looked like an overly complicated game of chess with himself, when suddenly he heard a knock on his door.

"Come in." He said simply, not looking away from the chess board.

Chrom entered, with an unreadable expression on his face. "Good evening my friend. What is it exactly that you are doing?" He asked with genuine curiosity.

Dante turned to greet Chrom and smiled warily at him. "Ah this. Usually at night after reading some tactics books and doing some work, I test myself on this board. It plays very similar to chess, only I've added a few twists of my own to better capture the reality of combat in the game. Usually I just try to test out a strategy or two that I've come up with, and then end the game there. Really, Virion is the one to thank for putting them to the test. He usually fills the role of my opponent. He comes in handy you know, when he's not swooning over every new lady that walks into his view."

Chrom chuckled. "You always do your best for our army, don't you Dante? I hardly ever see you when you aren't working away at your desk."

"I try. We've only lasted so long because I've put so much work into this. I can't slow down or I fear it will come back to haunt us in battle. When I play this game, sometimes I lose only a man or two. Sometimes an entire squad. At my worst moments, we end up in defeat. I do this every single night until I can make it through without a single loss. Only then do I know we have a sound strategy to use in real combat." Dante let out an exhausted sigh, but smiled at his work nonetheless. Then he looked at his friend's face, noting he couldn't quite read it for a change.

"Is something wrong Chrom? I can wait for awhile before I retire to rest you know. Let me know the whole of it."

Chrom pulled up a chair and sat down next to his friend. "Dante…I noticed something tonight. And well, not just tonight, but also something I've noted recently. You've been spending a lot of time with Lucina lately haven't you?"

Dante's composure remained unchanged, but there was hint of an emotion he hadn't heard from Chrom yet, so he mentally braced himself for the unknown. "Well yes. I mean, a tactician can certainly learn a lot from a time traveler—the princess of a resistance in the future no less. What of it may I ask?"

"Well," Chrom started. "At first I didn't think anything of it. After all, it is important for our army's tactician to be aware of what's coming right? But, over time I've noticed you two spending entire afternoons together. I can hear laughter from your tent; I can see you sitting at meals sharing conversation together. And tonight I also noticed something else…I watched you make a move Dante."

Dante was shocked. "Well—I-I, it was just conversation at first, and then it turned into something else and then…she kissed me too you know!"

"Dante wait-wait. Hold a moment. I don't want to be angry with you. I saw Lucina kiss you as well, so you are not entirely to blame. And where my daughter's feelings lie, I will not go against. I also know not to question my best friend, who has been with us through thick and thin. But I cannot simply let all of this go you know. There are complications. Lucina is only a year old in our time you do realize?"

"But not her. Your little Lucina at the castle may be a year old, but what of our Lucina? She is a full adult, able to make her own decisions. Besides, I've been reading up a little on time travel, and I've been talking with Miriel. You do realize that according to all science we know, Lucina most likely will never be able to return to her world, right? If we succeed in changing the future, her world will never even have existed, and she will be stuck here with us. What happens to her then? She is left all alone, with no one but a mother and father. She needs someone else to take care of her, and you know it Chrom. You know it because you've been thinking about what happens after all of this is done too. To you she may be that baby girl in the crib in the castle, but you have to realize she is her own person, and she must be the one to challenge her fate for better, or worse." Dante rebutted.

Chrom paused for a moment realizing there was some truth to what Dante had said. He did still think of Lucina as the little girl in the castle. That was the Lucina he knew. Whether she was as old as that little girl or a full grown adult, she would always be his first child, and his little girl. But Dante was also right in that she needed to be her own person. She had grown up in a time without him. He couldn't just turn her clock around; he could only make her future brighter. But that was what he intended to do.

"Dante you…may have a point there. However, I ask you to consider something. What happens when you become so enveloped in affection for her, that you fail to do the right thing for our army?"

Dante was taken aback. "Chrom, I always put our army first! What would give you that idea?"

Chrom pointed to the chess-like board. Dante stopped. His army on the board was surrounded by enemy units, and many of his own units had fallen. But in the center of the circle of enemies, two pieces stood out. A robed tactician and a woman with a sword in hand. Chrom was right about that. Dante had noted this as well. His last strategy had failed horribly. And he knew he needed to something to save his army. His role as tactician came first, as the fate of the world came first. Else he would only be enforcing Lucina's dark future, and would inevitably be the one to cause her even more pain. Lucina had completely invaded his thoughts lately, and at a time when he couldn't afford for that to happen.

"Chrom…I—I'm sorry. You're right about that. But what am I to do? I like her to much and if I just turn around on her all of a sudden, she would be so hurt…I need to be there to protect her."

"Dante, look. I can't control you and I can't control her. I won't tell you not to go after her, but I want you to be careful with what you do from now on. Maybe you should spend some time apart for a bit, occupy your mind with other matters. We are at a time when we can't afford to be distracted." Chrom tried to explain to his fellow soldier, and his friend.

"Fine Chrom. That's a good idea…it might be best that I give her some time apart. We are almost at Valm, and can't afford any mistakes now. But I fear that I may be causing her more pain than ever now."

"Just think this through Dante. In the end you may be saving her from the worst pain of all, but preventing her future from happening."

Chrom comforted his friend, and then the two shared some small talk with one another before they finally headed off to bed. Chrom's mind was clouded though. He stuck to his gut, like he always did, but was he right in trying to stop his friend, or was his friend right in that perhaps Dante was whom Lucina needed most?

* * *

_A few weeks later._

The strategy was working. Dante had done it again. The Valmese had ambushed the Ylisseans at sea, where they were like fish in a barrel, almost literally. But Dante's clever mind had been thinking about this ahead of time. Why fight a losing battle at sea, when they could use their ships for a larger purpose and send them right at the Valmese? They'd never see it coming; after all who would sacrifice half of an entire fleet of ships for such small odds of success? That was the brilliance of it though; an suicidal flaming fleet of ships would be the Valmese' worst nightmare at sea.

But victory wasn't assured. The Valmese had boarded their ships with Pegasus and Wyvern squads, and if they took their lead ship, the plan could never work, and they wouldn't be able to retreat.

Dante paired up with Cherche for this fight, making every effort to follow Chrom's advice and keep away from Lucina. He also wanted to prove to himself that this was for the best, and they would be better fighting alone. Besides, he would have better firepower from the sky with his tomes, and could cover his fellow Shepherds.

Dante sat behind Cherche holding her waist with one hand, and an Arcwind tome in the other. "Let's see how those flying units handle some wind. They'll never make it to our ship. C'mon, let's go Cherche!"

"On it Dante. Heeyah Minerva!" Cherche shouted.

From their position in the air, Dante fired spell after spell, knocking dozens of riders off of their mounts. As far as he could tell, with Sumia and Chrom, Cordelia and Frederick, and him and Cherche watching the skies, very little could take down the rest of the Shepherds on board. However, down below Dante watched a Valmese ship throw a ladder to their main ship, and watched a squad of knights board it.

Lucina was paired with Lon'qu; two great sword wielders to make one great team. Dante thought it was perfect. It was the best pairing for her besides him, he thought, and besides, Lucina had known Lon'qu before them. They knew each other's strengths and weaknesses after facing off in Regna Ferox, and he felt they would do well. They charged forth, with the other Shepherds in tow, towards the boarding Valmese.

Dante saw an oncoming Wyvern squad making way to flank Lucina and Lon'qu, preparing an ambush they would be too preoccupied to see coming. Dante ordered Cherche to fly towards the Wyvern group and he send multiple furious blasts of Arcwind their way.

"Good job Cherche, we got them." He smiled at their success. He saw Chrom and Sumia fly next to them.

"Good work you two. We've got the flying units taken care of. A few more stragglers are all we need to worry about." Chrom called out to Dante.

"We're not done yet though. The Valmese are slowly starting to board our ship. If we don't get out soon and set it aflame, we're done for." Dante answered with his focus clear.

Chrom nodded. "Understood. We'll get the torches and start to light the ship. Frederick and Cordelia will prepare the lifeboats and start evacuating our forces. Dante, you and Cherche watch out for any incoming flying units, and keep an eye out for our main force on board."

Dante nodded, and headed out. He watched as the lifeboats started to fill and lower to the sea, heading towards their ships in the back. The plan was just about to happen. Once the ship was aflame, front half of their fleet would see the signal and follow their lead, and the Valmese would be done for.

Him and Cherche took care of a few remaining flyers, but the flying Valmese were starting to panic, and were simply no match for them. The final lifeboat was about to head down. All that was left were Lucina and Lon'qu, the leaders of the ground squad, holding off the army that had arrived from the Valmese ship. In the back of the Ylissean ship, a fire had started, and Chrom and Sumia flew in to help the lifeboat down.

Lucina and Lon'qu were just about ready to jump after it and let the Valmese discover the flames on their own, when Lucina noticed a General appear behind Lon'qu with a lance prepared. She surged forth and pierced his heart with Falchion, watching as Lon'qu nodded thankfully and jumped into the lifeboat. Now all that was left was her. She looked up and watched Dante holding Cherche by the waist taking down flyers. Seeing the one she cared about hold someone like that after ignoring her for weeks hurt her. A single tear fell from her eyes as she looked away, and prepared to jump.

But she didn't see the Knights that had appeared behind her to avenge their commander. Just as her life was on the line, Dante shouted with pure terror. He threw his Arcwind into the ocean, pulled out Mjolnir, his strongest tome, and jumped off of Minerva.

As he plummeted towards the crashing waves, he cast one last spell, frying all of the Knights behind Lucina. Lucina turned and watched the one she loved become lost in the waves for her.

Chrom had also seen all this, and instantly regretted everything he had said before. With the lifeboat completely boarded, he ordered Sumia to rush to the water and find his friend before it was too late.

* * *

Dante woke up in a room he didn't recognize. His head felt dizzy, and his bones certainly didn't feel like normal at all. He looked to his right and saw a blurry figure. But he recognized royal blue hair. "Lucina…?" he wondered aloud.

As his vision cleared up, he realized it was actually a man. Chrom.

"No my friend, but she was just in here. I told her to go for a moment. But she'll be back, I promise. I just saw you were coming to and needed a word with you."

"You picked a bad time to talk Chrom. Where am I? What happened?" Dante asked confused.

"You're on our new ship, just a day or two away from Valm now. After you wildly jumped off of Minerva and saved Lucina, I couldn't let my friend just get swept away in the sea. Sumia swooped down and we searched everywhere, only to find the waves carrying you away in the distance. We grabbed you, but you were unconscious. And a bit broken I might add. Don't worry; Lucina is safe no thanks to you. And your plan worked flawlessly."

"Ugh…" Dante groaned in pain. That was not one of his finer moments. But he was glad Lucina, and the rest of the Shepherds, were safe.

"Dante…about before. I could not be sorrier. You more than proved your affection for Lucina the other day, and I now completely encourage you to be with her." Chrom smiled assuringly.

"What made you change your mind so quickly?" Dante asked.

"Well watching one's friend nearly commit suicide by jumping off a dragon and falling into the ocean, just to save his friend's daughter certainly doesn't hurt. But it's more than that. I've talked with Lucina. After she finished angrily throwing attacks my way during some training, she realized what you'd done for her, and why you'd done it. She forgives you by the way, for ignoring her for those few weeks." Chrom chuckled lightheartedly, knowing Dante would probably punch his exalt if he wasn't broken and confined to a hospital bed. "But I also realized, that Lucina does need someone in her life to care for her. She'll always have her mother and father, but that can't be the only thing she has in her life. She needs someone who will always do everything to protect her. And damn, if you didn't show me that on the battlefield. I also realized, if there were any single Shepherd I'd be proud to see my daughter marry one day, it would be you Dante."

Dante was dumbfounded. Perhaps it was the dizziness, but he couldn't be sure if this was a dream or if Chrom was serious. "So what does this mean exactly from here on out Chrom?"

"Dante. It means you have my blessing."

* * *

**And end chapter. Hopefully you liked it. I'm gonna just post it now and allow you all to read it. It is more than a little late, so please forgive me for that. As always please give me some feedback, both constructive, and just to hear what you thought. **

**It really helps to know that you guys are enjoying it. That is probably the main thing that allows a writer to carry on with what they do. So please let me know if you liked it. Also, if you have any feedback on typos, or things that I perhaps could've written better (I personally felt that I didn't write the battle at sea properly, and that I wrote this whole chapter a bit fast), please note that. Other than that, thank you for reading, and I will try to continue writing this at a better pace.**


	4. Stay With Me Tonight

**So far I've had sort of a linear story (night before the final battle, the return after the battle, and a day at the beach sometime after the return). I realize that in two of the chapters, and that last one especially, it revolved a lot around the characters telling a story to tell the past. This chapter will be different in that this chapter will not (necessarily) be told like that. In fact, I plan to try something a little different this time. Most chapters have been 3****rd**** person omniscient for POV. This one I planned to do 3****rd**** person limited, and concentrate on Lucina specifically for it. So without further ado, please enjoy.**

* * *

It was late at night for the Shepherd army. Lanterns were ablaze at most tents and sounds of merriment could be heard. The day had been simple, if not quite enjoyable. The Shepherds had marched further across the vast continent of Valm, finished off a band of Risen attacking a small village, and then made camp for the night. Chrom, Frederick, Lissa, Say'ri, and Dante held a war council meeting, to decide their next turn of events, while Lucina took charge of teaching some sword techniques to some of the less skilled units in preparation for the more perilous battles ahead. While unusually uneventful for the Ylissean army, it was peaceful, and they would take what they could get.

In one tent, a large group consisting of Gaius, Frederick, Lissa, Lon'qu, and many of the other Shepherds were chatting with one another around a poker table. Sully could be heard shouting at Virion as she grabbed him by the shirt and threatened him after he made off with a large chunk of her money. Though in fear for his life, the witty archer merely replied, "Milady, I apologize that this handsome face and charming glow made you lower your guard, but all is fair in love and war, hmm?" A loud and shouting echoed throughout the camp as Sully lost her temper.

Chrom and Sumia were busy in their tent, preparing for sleep, not keen to participate in gambling and give a bad impression to the army. Donnel and Panne were wandering around the outskirts of camp, digging holes and planting traps as they bonded over their usual games of cat-and-mouse. And aside from that, the rest of the camp was scattered about, or heading off to sleep.

Lucina, in her made her way towards Dante's tent, wondering if the tactician should still be awake. She had missed the war meeting, and needed to catch up on what she missed with him, to find out their plan. Mostly, though she didn't even admit it to herself, she just wanted to see him as usual. Their bond had been growing at a fast rate, especially after Chrom's blessing had been given to the young couple. Sure they weren't engaged yet, and Lucina still wondered when and if Dante would propose to her, but that didn't matter at the moment. Dante had told her that even with Chrom's blessing, he intended to take their relationship slowly, if only to take in all their time together and truly appreciate it. Lucina was very pleased when they'd decided this. She'd never intended to fall in love with anyone in the first place. Much less did she expect to fall in love with a man who treated her with such kindness. She didn't know if she'd ever be able to express her gratitude to Dante for making her feel so welcome and happy. As she walked towards Dante's tent thinking of all this, she made a promise to herself to work to express that better to him one day. After she finished her primary objective there of course.

At least Lucina arrived at his tent, noticing a dim glow emanate from inside. She assumed he must still be awake then. "Dante?" she called out to him.

She peeked inside briefly to find him at his desk, as usual, studying some books with a mess of volumes in piles all around him, and miscellaneous maps and papers sprawled on his desk. He turned to face her.

"Oh hello Lucina! Please come in," Dante smiled warmly as he turned to face her. Lucina's heart momentarily jumped. It always did when she approached him. Something about the tactician just made you feel welcome and at ease, as if his voice promised that he was always there, and would listen to anything you said and do his best to give advise. Lucina still wasn't used to such warmth from others. Even so, she was always happily surprised to feel so welcome every time she came to him.

Lucina sauntered into Dante's tent, and the tactician stood up and pulled out a chair for her as he invited her to sit. Grinning amiably, the tactician asked, "So dearest, what brings you here at these late hours?

"Well, I was absent from the meeting this afternoon after the Risen fight. My father is headed to sleep and much of the rest of the Shepherds are drinking and gambling as usual. Such a rowdy environment isn't for me. So I thought to come see you tonight. Besides, I missed you today…" Lucina blushed as she stole a quick peck on her beloved's cheek.

"Not to worry, I actually anticipated you coming at some point." Dante said matter-of-factly, after a quick kiss back to her. He pulled out a map of Valm, cleared the table by knocking things haphazardly to the ground, and spread it out.

"So what do we plan for next?" the blue-haired princess asked.

"Well, if you look here," Dante pointed, "here is where we are currently encamped. About two days from our location is where Say'ri said we are to head to next, the Mila Tree. Now, you obviously know what the plan is when we get there; find the "Voice of the Divine Dragon" and ask for her aid. But today we sent out our Pegasus scouts to see what was going on."

"And what did they find?"

"It appears that one of Valm's primary generals, Cervantes, is stationed there, aware that we intend to go there next. Which is both good and bad news. It means for our next two days of marching, we should encounter little to no resistance, aside from possible Risen. Due to this, Chrom wants us to use these next two days to rest up and be in good shape for battle, so that should boost our morale now that the Shepherds know they can sleep in." Dante explained.

Lucina cut in. "And so the bad news would be that Chrom really expects resistance at the tree, and it may actually take a lot more effort to ascend the tree to find the great Voice, Tiki."

"Precisely. In the meantime I've been studying some field books documenting the layout and terrain of the Mila Tree. The battle won't be in our favor as we are ascending a tree, meaning an uphill battle. But it also means that Cervantes' forces will need to be more precautious in descending to attack us." Dante gave a hint of a smile.

Lucina had to hand it to him. Their tactician was quick thinking and always prepared. It was one of the things she loved most about him.

"Well, if it brings you ease, I hadn't heard too much about the battle in my time. I don't recommend dropping your guard, but we can rest easier knowing there are no upcoming major deaths or injuries. No thanks to your brilliant tactics I assume," Lucina smirked.

Dante brushed off the compliment with a small grin. "That doesn't give me reason not to put all my planning skills to use for this battle. But I appreciate that knowledge regardless."

He rolled up the map and left it on the table.

"I don't believe you missed much else at the meeting. Chrom expects me to give a battle strategy report tomorrow eve, but that's not concerning to you just yet. And I also believe that I have finished enough work for the night to call it over," Dante finished.

Lucina nodded. Now she was done with that, there was nothing left for her to do for the night either. She realized it was getting late, and though she wanted to spend more time with Dante, rest was important as well, especially if her father was actually calling for it.

"Well I appreciate you filling me in on what I missed, Dante. I can always count on you." She smiled affectionately. "Although it is getting late now and I do think I should head back to my tent."

Dante's expression noticeably dropped for a moment. Lucina felt her heart wrench up as she saw this. She wasn't used to this just yet. She wanted to devote as much time as she could to Dante, but she also knew that she had a larger purpose to work towards here, and she wouldn't let her voyage to the past be a wasted effort. Unfortunately that usually meant that her and Dante had conflicting tasks, and aside from battle, meals, and the occasional date, she wasn't able to spend much time with him.

"It's fine, Chrom did recommend we get rest. It certainly would be wise to head off to sleep soon…" Dante replied.

Lucina stood up from her seat with Dante and the two embraced each other. Lucina tightly held him there, as she didn't want to leave him.

The two left their embrace and Lucina began to head towards the entrance when Dante stopped her quickly. "Lucina, do you mind if I walk you back to your tent? I have no other commitments tonight and would like to accompany you."

Lucina smiled. She didn't really see a reason why not. There certainly wasn't a reason he should feel the need to accompany either. But she also longed for his company for a little longer. "O-of course! Well…shall we?" she replied almost nervously, grabbing his hand as they headed together towards her tent.

The rest of camp was mostly asleep now. The poker game had now long been dead, and only a few faces were still there, conversing around a small fire, sharing stories. The two wouldn't likely be noticed by anyone. And if they were, it would be too late at night for anyone to really care. Besides, Lucina thought, she was just letting Dante come with her to her tent. Nothing was wrong with that at all. He'd just follow her, hand in hers, and when he got there, he would lean in for a goodnight kiss, she hold him close, and then she'd watch him slowly walk away from her once again, leaving her alone for the night…

Lucina felt a chill run through the air. It was rather a cold night. But Dante was so warm. She could just imagine it if the two could be there in her tent, her resting on the bed while he wrapped his arms around her…

No! What was she thinking? Was she crazy? If Dante slept there, she didn't know what he would do while she slept. Or what people would think if they found her. She would just have to make do with watching him leave and go back to his tent, and put on some extra blankets…

But what if he didn't have to go, she wondered? Dante was a very different kind of man. In fact he was the one to propose that they take things slowly for their own sake in their relationship (even though she had planned on bringing it up). And besides, if there was one thing she had been yearning for, it was to have him there by her pillow every night.

They arrived at her tent, and Dante let go of Lucina's hand. "Well, we're here. This is where we part Lucina. Don't let me keep you up any longer, you really do need some rest." He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead.

Lucina nuzzled into his shoulder and held him tightly. She could feel her heart beating rapidly, and she was struggling to be the one to make such a push in their relationship. She wasn't the most expressive person there was. She wasn't extremely talkative. She tried to keep her emotions bottled up most of the time. She never asked for much.

When she needed someone to talk to, Dante offered for her to come to his tent. When she needed to be comforted, Dante hugged her and helped her fears and worries vanish momentarily. When she felt alone amongst the Shepherds in a time she shouldn't belong in, Dante was the one to take her for a walk and provide her company. He was the one to act on feelings of love and kiss her first. He brought her small gifts. He admitted to her that he loved her first. Lucina knew she wasn't the most outwardly affectionate person in the world, and yet Dante was always there for her. He was always so affectionate for her, and she wished she could be more expressive for him. So just for once, could she make a step for him?

As Dante turned to head back Lucina softly whispered," Wait Dante…"

He faced her with that smile again, that smile that said he'd do anything for her. "Yes my love?"

"I w-well…y-you see…" she struggled at first. '_Oh c'mon Lucina. You braved a bridge through time, fought through armies, fierce towering foes, and the dragon of destruction. And you can't muster the courage to put aside your serious demeanor just for him?'_ she lectured herself.

"What is it Lucina? Do you need me to do something for you?"

She gathered her emotions together. "Dante…do you think that maybe…you could stay with me tonight? I mean, not the way you might think, but just come inside and—mmmmmmm!..." she was stopped by a kiss.

"Lucina, you needn't worry. If you want me to spend the night with you, I would gladly do so. And as for what you're thinking, I wouldn't dream of it until we were wed. No worries. Come on, I did say you need some sleep, didn't I?" Dante replied, taking hold of her hand and embracing her.

Lucina smiled in his arms, and then led him into her tent. Thinking about it, it was probably his first time in there, as she only really used it for sleep.

"Well, welcome to my tent. Please, make yourself comfortable. Oh dear, what do you plan to sleep in?" she realized that he may not have brought sleeping garments.

"Not to worry Lucina. One of the best benefits to wearing a robe is that it is good for everyday wear, and also suited for sleeping. My question is, what do you intend to do? I don't think I've ever seen you without your royal armor on. I hope you don't sleep in that" he chuckled lightly.

She smiled embarrassed, realizing he was right. "No, I assure you that I don't sleep in this. That would be very uncomfortable. Errmmm…do you mind…turning away for a moment? And no peeking?"

Dante turned around and covered his eyes with his hands. Lucina quickly undressed from her armor, struggling in her hurry to unbuckle each individual piece. She constantly kept turning to see if Dante was really staying still and not being a peeping tom. But Dante was every bit as respectful as always, and didn't so much as move. She felt her heart rush, just knowing he really did respect her and did so much to make her happy. Lucina quickly pulled out a sleeping gown and threw it on, turning to Dante and poking him in the back once she was clothed properly.

"You're safe now."

He lifted his hands off of him and turned to see her. She noticed that he looked at her in a different way. He looked almost like he with her all over again. She laughed at him and asked, "What, you look like you just saw me for the first time or something?"

Dante shook his head. "I apologize. It's just…I don't think I've ever seen you without your armor on. You look…stunning."

Lucina grinned. "It's just a night gown. Most women wear one to bed you know,"

"It's still the first I've seen you in one. And I can safely affirm that you are the most beautiful woman I have known in all my life," Dante said as the two got into the bed together.

Lucina pulled her blankets over the two, while Dante turned around and put her arm around her waist. Her heart started pumping quickly at his gentle touch.

"Dante?"

"Yes Lucina?"

"You know…this is something I've always wanted. In my future I always felt so alone. I had no one but my friends to hold on to. And it was a cold and brutal world we shared. I've always secretly wanted to have someone to love and who loves me hold me tight as we go to sleep. I've kinda dreamt about it for awhile now," she started, and wrapped her hands around his embrace.

"I used to have nightmares of my future. I'm always so worried about failing, and seeing my mother and father, or any of the Shepherds, die. But, since you've come into my life, those nightmares have stopped coming so much. I've started to dream of just being with you, with no Valm, no Grima, no future to save. Just us together with the rest of our lives to each other. I guess that I'm trying to say is…thank you Dante. For everything you've done for me. With you I feel like there's a chance to stop all of this, and to save my father. And for just helping me feel like that, I want you to know I'm grateful."

"Lucina, I always want to make you happy. Since the first time I truly met you and talked with you, I wanted to always be there to make you smile and to make a brighter future, together, with you. I'll do everything I can to make sure your future doesn't come to pass, so that at the very least you may live the rest of your life peacefully. You aren't alone Lucina," Dante assured Lucina, with a kiss to the back of her neck.

There was a short, quiet pause in the room.

"I love you Dante."

"I love you Lucina."

And with those last few words, Lucina drifted off to sleep. She knew for a fact that there wouldn't be nightmares tonight. And, if Dante were to stay with her every night from then on, then never again at all.

"Goodnight Lucina," Dante whispered to her one last time, kissing her brilliant hair as she slept peacefully in his arms.

And with that, the two were out, and from that night on, so long as Dante and Lucina were together, they never slept without one another again.

* * *

**And that is the chapter. Much better job updating this time I might say, right? I hope you enjoyed it. Not quite as fluffy as some of the other chapters, but I think it captured what I feel would've been the first time Robin/Lucina actually slept together (actually sleeping, this is rated T after all). Hopefully a little better writing and detail included in this. I'll need to retake a look back at the other chapters, especially chapter 3, the battle scene just felt too fast to me. I'm much better at writing dialogue rather than battle scenes. Besides, I feel like most people on this site prefer that emotion from dialogue. I mean a battle is a battle, that's just the gameplay of the game. But the dialogue is where the characters really come to life.**

**We'll see where I plan to go next. I'm feeling like the Hot Springs. Maybe 2 chapters in one, tying in the Hot Springs to the famous scene where Lucina almost kills you. THAT scene is probably my favorite, and I'd like to tie the Hot Springs to it since I found a connection there that really shows how the relationship advances.**

**Anyways, enough talk. Please leave reviews and feedback. Reviews keep me motivated to actually continue writing, feedback helps me to improve. And I will hopefully bring the next chapter soon. **

**Well, Allons-y friends.**


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